if I remove the hood seam....would like to hear from those with experience..
weld the single seam, and fill the depression, or weld in a filler strip, welding on both sides of strip. would be a thin strip..maybe 18 gauge?

Just be sure to Keep the Metal as cool as Possible to contain Warpage. Other Wise ya are gonna have a lot of body work or replacing the hood . Weld a Bit 1/2 " or less and then Put a Wet cool rag on it . I've done a fewof them . but the last time I forgot about the Cool wet rag ... What a Mess . i guess it happens when ya get old ! Good Luck Al

There was just a thread a few weeks ago on this and I can't find it. But you most certainly do NOT want to cool the weld! Cooling hot metal is how you SHRINK it, you do NOT want to shrink the metal after every weld!

I'm sorry to be rude Al but I don't want someone go read your post and walk out and start welding and cooling. Keeping the metal cool, lightly cooling it, yeah you can do that with control but you do not simply cool the hot metal after welding with a wet rag, others may not understand what you meant. It WILL warp the metal, it is shrinking after all.

I personally weld 1/4 inch welds with a lot of space in between, we are talking a number of feet. I would take days, many days to weld that up. Letting it cool between each weld on it's own, we are talking until it is totally cooled.

Let's clarify this so someone doesn't make a mistake. You say you did it exactly like Al said but Al said "Weld a Bit 1/2 " or less and then Put a Wet cool rag on it" and your welds look more like a quarter inch at best and you say "I mean the metal around the weld". That is two completely different things the way I read it. Can you clarify?

I have found that if you were to cool the WELD with a wet rag you shrink the metal, the molecules gather when the metal is quinched. This is how you shrink metal when you WANT to shrink metal, you heat it to get the molecules "dancing" around then cool it bringing them closer together shrinking it.

Let's clarify this so someone doesn't make a mistake. You say you did it exactly like Al said but Al said "Weld a Bit 1/2 " or less and then Put a Wet cool rag on it" and your welds look more like a quarter inch at best and you say "I mean the metal around the weld". That is two completely different things the way I read it. Can you clarify?

I have found that if you were to cool the WELD with a wet rag you shrink the metal, the molecules gather when the metal is quinched. This is how you shrink metal when you WANT to shrink metal, you heat it to get the molecules "dancing" around then cool it bringing them closer together shrinking it.

Brian

My tack's are around 1/4'' to 3/8 because I use a hot tack... Now I proved it with pictures of ME doing it... NOT SOMETHING SOMEONE SAID, NOT SOMETHING I READ,,, BUT SOMETHING I DID.... more then once..It work's well.. You can try to pick this a part all you want.... These pictures don't lie..

I just finished a chop top the same way... I just finished my son's bed,, The same way... What more can I say...

I will say this much... If someone is afraid to step out the box,,,

YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE ON THE OUT SIDE...
Don't be afraid to mess up... THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN..

Oh.. And if you really would like to know... I have done it the way Al posted... Many times...

alright guys, I appreciate ALL the comments, that's just what I want, I'm no rookie myself, just never welded a 51 hood, so, I tacked it even further apart than your pictures, and then walked away.. I am building a bed at the same time so I can easily move on while it cools, I have learned from my own mistakes too! NOW, did you tack it solid over time, or just fill over the area as is? the 51 chevy hood has a slight depresion, which I think i will just use duraglass over, so, do you think I really need to tack it solid after all?

afterall...my original question was,,,use a filler strip of metal(which means a LOT more welding), or bondo filler..

Then you would have to cut off the flange that is at each piece of the hood (this hood is made of two pieces). You would have to cut off about 3/4 inch or so on each side down the center because it has a recessed area that goes about a half inch off the center down both sides. This rececessed area has a few large "holes" in it that are hidden by the moulding. So to hammer weld it or plannish it you would need to cut that away and butt weld an inch and a half or so strip of metal down the middle.

I have to tell you, I know my way around sheet metal pretty good and that would be a tall order for me personally. There are master tin men out there that wouldn't think a thing of it but I sure have nothing of value I could add if someone wanted to learn how to do it.

Sometimes it takes some one to step in . After a few years down the road doing this stuff ya forget that not every one is on the same wave link as you . There is no problem at all brian. like I said I should of Explained it better..

alright guys, I appreciate ALL the comments, that's just what I want, I'm no rookie myself, just never welded a 51 hood, so, I tacked it even further apart than your pictures, and then walked away.. I am building a bed at the same time so I can easily move on while it cools, I have learned from my own mistakes too! NOW, did you tack it solid over time, or just fill over the area as is? the 51 chevy hood has a slight depresion, which I think i will just use duraglass over, so, do you think I really need to tack it solid after all?

afterall...my original question was,,,use a filler strip of metal(which means a LOT more welding), or bondo filler..

When I did my '53 Chevy truck hood I welded the entire seam. Just a question though, did you remove the hood? I tacked mine while it was still on my truck and all adjusted as it should be. There's quite a bit of flex in some of those hoods and it will be a mess trying to adjust everything if it's off even a little.

took 2 days doing it.. all done,, no warp at all.
first day tacked about every 8 inches, few hours later in between ..4 inchs, finished the day at about 2 inch tacks.
2nd day, layed wet towels alongside the seam about an inch away, and just tacked off and on all day, ground down the welds with 4 " cutoff blade, ( way less heat than a grinder or flap disc) all done !! turned out fine, waiting on the maxim urethane to go under hood skin, then ...who knows where I'll be next !

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